I'm Glad to Be Alive Today
I was on YouTube the other day and its algorithm suggested a movie trailer to me – Zero A.D.: The Birth of Christ. And since I like movie trailers almost more than watching movies, I clicked play.
There were many things that struck me as I watched Angel Studios' soon-to-be-released movie preview. (1) The prosthetics department could've done a better job on Herod, (2) they got the timing on the wise men wrong, (3) there is a lot of artistic license being taken, (4) the trailer, if not the movie, seems focused on the dark parts of the story, and (5) those were rough days!
I don't just mean rough days for Joseph and Mary. The movie trailer reminded me of how hard life was in Christ's day! Thomas Hobbes famous description of life as 'poor, nasty, brutish, and short' was written about something else, but it fits the first century incredibly well. Yet, somehow that two-minute movie trailer left me feeling thankful.1
Have you ever been asked—"Who would you like to meet, whether living or dead?" My answer changes regularly (today I'd say, "Charles Spurgeon"), but I have heard many respond with "Jesus," and a little less frequently, "Paul." I am fairly confident though, that when we picture that conversation happening, no one imagines being transported back to that era. Rather, we want them to come to us.
The simple truth is, we are blessed to live in the age we do! From AI to AC, there has never been a better time to be alive. Despite all the conflict and repression still in the world, we live in an age of relative peace. Modern medicine has extended life spans to their longest in more than 4,000 years.2 We can now travel almost anywhere in the world within about 36 hours. Phones and computers allow us to chat or facetime with anyone we have contact info for. Electricity allows us to stay up late, rise early, wash clothes more easily, and prep meals more quickly. Refrigeration keeps our food stable for a long time and our homes habitable in extreme heat.3 And we can't forget modern sanitation!! Just a few hundred years ago, refuse ran down streets and bed pans were dumped out windows.
I am so glad to be alive today! Are you thankful? 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "in everything, give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." While I am so thankful the Lord allowed me to live in this era, these word were written to Christians in the first century, living in those rough days. If God called them to thankfulness, how much more reason do we have?
Working against that is the global connectivity we now enjoy. It makes us continually aware of everything going wrong with the world. A city issue in Michigan is now something we're supposed to be concerned with. An attack in Indonesia, airline trouble in Ethiopia, and an outbreak of the measles in Texas - they're all placed top of screen.4 These are real people and we should pray for their troubles. But news outlets make money by reporting and repeating. If they don't publish, they perish. And that persistent flow of 'news' makes it hard to stay thankful.
So here's my challenge. Find something each day to be thankful for. Look for ways in which the Lord has shown you kindness. For me, it came via a movie trailer. For you, it might be a phone call, a conversation, or just a simple break from this extreme heat. Don't let a day end without giving thanks to the Lord for something specific.5
1 In case you're wondering, I am not planning to see it and this is not a recommendation. I don't prefer movies with dark themes, even when rooted in a biblical story.
2 Moses said that one who lived to 70 or 80 years had seen a full life (Psalm 90:10). For most of history, life was shorter. Today, that number is often exceeded.
3 And this week has been EXTREME!! I am so glad for air conditioning. Weeks like this always have me itching to move out of the California high desert. It's been brutal.
4 I just made these up. I don't tend to watch the news to know what's actually happening. 😜
5 And if you want to go the extra mile, drop in a comment and share one thing you're thankful for this week. I'd love to hear it!